WATCH VLOG “What tips do you have for finding modest clothes on a budget?” “Are you reading any good books right now?” “What did you do for school?” “Can you explain what your personal time with Jesus looks like each week?” These are actual questions that we’ve received from Christian teen girls. Since we get a lot of questions like this, we thought it would be fun to bring on our teen sister, Rebekah, to answer some of them. After doing a poll on Instagram, we pulled your most popular questions and asked them to Rebekah. What today’s vlog to find out what Rebekah has to say about modesty,Full Post

I’m guilty. I have totally done it. After a long hard workout, I remember snapping a “sexy” picture of myself in front of my bedroom mirror. You know. The kind where you angle your body just right to make your fat disappear and your muscles look huge. Yep. That was me. I wanted to see how hot I looked. I wanted to admire my body. Deep down, I was self-obsessed and I didn’t care. I was working out because I wanted to look good. I wanted people to admire my fit body. I wanted other girls to be secretly jealous of me. The trend of the sexy workout selfie. OnceFull Post

WATCH VIDEO Combining fashion and modesty during the fall can be really fun. With the weather cooling down, it’s easier to layer-up and wear styles that offer a little more coverage. After creating our previous video called, Modest Summer Outfit Ideas, many of you asked us to create another video for the fall. So here it is! We decided to partner with Thred Up again, online store, to bring you affordable, modest, and fashionable fall outfit ideas. In today’s video, we’re going to show you some of our favorite finds for our fall wardrobe. WATCH VIDEO

Big tears streamed down my face. I just knew I was destined to a life of drabby, old-fashioned clothing. I was sixteen, and my parents and I were having another modesty conversation. I wanted to be fashionable, but I felt like my parents were dooming me to a life of turtlenecks and bonnets. They did their best to explain that modesty didn’t have to look old-fashioned. They encouraged me to have fun and explore styles but not to compromise on my modesty standards. After years of trial, error, tears, and lots of creative thinking, I’ve finally come to understand the balance of fashion and modesty my parents were pushingFull Post

WATCH VIDEO We live in a culture where modesty isn’t valued at all anymore We’re taught that it’s completely normal to uncover 90% of our skin. We’re told that less is more. That being sexy is the most important thing. The two of us feel this pressure and we’re guessing you do too! It’s so important for us, as women, to pause and think about why we do what we do. Why do we wear clothes? Why do we want to dress with decency? Why do we value modesty? Unless we can answer those questions from a truly biblical perspective, we won’t fully grasp God’s heart for us in thisFull Post

“Sometimes I wonder why I even dress modestly. I mean, guys see immodest women all the time anyway. It’s not like they don’t know what cleavage is. I’m starting to wonder if modesty is really worth it.” Those were the words of a girl who was feeling super discouraged about modesty. As she shared her heart with me, I felt like her words could have been my own. At this point in time (mid-high school) I had some very similar thoughts running through my own mind. Why am I even doing this? Do guys really appreciate the effort that dressing modestly takes? Do they realize how inconvenient modesty canFull Post

How do you know if Hollywood thinks you’re pretty enough? I mean, beauty is in the eye of the beholder right? Well…apparently there’s a certain group of people who are trying to prove that beauty can actually be measured. They call it the “golden ratio.” The golden ratio is a number (1.62 to be exact) which these groups claim can be used to measure beauty. This number is used to measure everything from how far apart your eyes are, to how long your head is, to how much space you have between your chin and lips. If you measure really well (basically perfect according to this group), your numbersFull Post

It happens to me every year. The transition from my summer wardrobe to my fall wardrobe is always a struggle. What worked so well last season just doesn’t seem to be working this season. Styles have changed, my taste had changed, and I honestly just have the desire for something new. Something fresh. And to makes things even harder, striving to dress modestly adds a whole new array of challenges. Are you feeling me here? It’s been a long time since I’ve been in school, but I remember all too well the annual wardrobe challenges. If you’re heading back to high school or college this fall (whether private, public,Full Post

The moment summer hits is the moment modesty seems to go out the window. Shorts shrink into underwear size. Shirts are so small they don’t even cover the mid drift. Clothes are sheer and basically see through. It often feels like being trendy and fashionable means wearing close to nothing. Despite how popular the itty-bitty clothing trend seems to be, we don’t have to accept it. We can rise to a more decent and respectable standard. Just because underwear size shorts are “in,” doesn’t mean we have to wear them and let our cheeks hang out. Just because teeny-tiny-cleavage-revealing-belly-button-displaying shirts are “in,” doesn’t mean we have to wear them.Full Post

From the time I was a little girl I’ve had random people approach me and ask if I did any modeling. I had never thought of myself as a model, but all of their questions made me curious. As I grew older my curiosity for the modeling industry grew stronger. I was raised in a strong Christian home and both of my parents knew the dangers of the modeling industry. When I grew a little older I finally convinced them to let me try a “family friendly” modeling agency. I got the job immediately and signed a one year contract. Things seemed to be going well at first andFull Post

WATCH VIDEO As Christian girls, it’s our responsibility to pull our lost culture toward God’s Word, not away from it. It is our obligation to raise the moral bar, not lower it. It is our duty to lead our culture towards modesty and decency, not away from it. It is our privilege to showcase the purity and holiness of Christ, rather than the nudity of our culture. As Ephesians 5:1,8, and 10 says, “Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children…for at one time, you were in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light…and try to discern what is pleasing to theFull Post

I was driving down the road the other day and saw a billboard with an advertisement for a cosmetic surgery office which featured a seductively dressed model and the statement, “Enhance your beauty.” The message was loud and clear: If you want to be beautiful you will need a large chest, plump lips, luscious hair, a skinny waist, and long eyelashes. If you’re a woman alive right now you know exactly what I’m talking about. You’ve seen the commercials, the ads, the music videos, the billboards, and the magazines like I have. You’ve stared into the mirror when nobody else was watching and wished you were a lot prettier.Full Post

After posing half naked in a recent photo shoot, Emma Watson (the star in the upcoming Beauty and the Beast movie) couldn’t understand why people were calling her a hypocrite. As an outspoken self-proclaimed feminist, some people viewed Emma’s photoshoot as quite the contradiction. They were wondering how a woman could stand for “women’s equality and female respect,” while at the same time taking part in the sexual objectification of women. In response to the pushback that Emma Watson received for posing half naked, Gloria Steinem (a famous liberal feminist) rushed to her side in defense. Gloria Steinem unashamedly told the media, “Feminist can wear whatever the *** they want. They should be ableFull Post

WATCH VIDEO If you girls are anything like the two of us, you’ve probably struggled with your outward appearance. It’s hard not to struggle when we live in a world that is OBSESSED with physical perfection. Despite the obsession with perfection, we as women do not have to buy into the lie. We can have freedom in this area. We’ve truly come to embrace the body God has given each of us and we would love for you to have the same! Here are a few practical tips that really helped the two of us break free from our beauty struggles. WATCH VIDEO

WATCH VIDEO After doing some more in-depth research on beauty, the two of us came across information that shocked us. We had no idea just how flakey the culture’s standards for beauty truly are. Get this. Over the past 100 years, the ideal body for a woman has changed drastically at least ten times. 1910: The Gibson Girl 1920: The Flapper 1930: May West 1940: Rita Hayworth 1950: Marilyn Monroe 1960: Twiggy 1970: Farrah Fawcett 1980: Jane Fonda 1990: Kate Moss 2000: The Victoria’s Secret Model When the two of us look over that list and see the drastic changes, we can’t help but get a little upset. InsteadFull Post

WATCH VIDEO The modeling world looked glamorous and the two of us wanted to give it a try. The promised money and fame looked enticing until it became a possible reality. We chose to give up modeling for something so much better. Here is a snippet from our story in Girl Defined: “The two of us were both in our early twenties and desperately curious. The seed that had taken root in our hearts as young girls was finally coming to bloom. We wanted to explore the modeling world. Truthfully, our hopes weren’t that high. We assumed, out- side of a miracle, that our moral convictions and living as modelsFull Post

Beauty hacks. They’re all the rage, right? Just do a quick Google search and you’ll have instant access to beauty hacks that promise a prettier you (in under 5 minutes flat). How about these: “25 Beauty Hacks To Make You Look Like A Million Dollars” or “44 Lazy Girl Beauty Hacks To Try Right Now.” Wait – 44 hacks? For the lazy girl? If I’m lazy, how am I supposed to have time for forty-four beauty hacks? Sorry, I just thought that one was hilarious. Anyhow. I agree that some of these hacks can be helpful (i.e. I want to hug the person who invented dry shampoo!), but theyFull Post

My hair was a wreck, my makeup was half-finished, I was running behind and my sweet friend was already at the restaurant waiting for me to arrive for our lunch date. I sprinted out the door and headed towards my location. I reached across the seat to grab my make-up so that I could finish (Yes! Sometimes I do makeup when I’m driving. Confession time.) and nothing was on the seat. I looked in the back row, under my feet, under the passenger’s seat, and nothing was there. Noooo!!! I realized I had left it inside on the kitchen counter. This was just not my day. Running late. MakeupFull Post

My friend and I sat on the floor with our legs crisscrossed. My friend was getting married in just a few short months, and I had flown out to visit her before she entered the married season of life. After a few minutes of light hearted chit-chat, our conversation took on a more serious tone. My friend went on to explain to me that she has constantly struggled with comparing herself to the Victoria Secret models. Although she understands that God is the author of beauty, she sighed and said, “It’s just hard not compare myself to them.” Our conversation turned into a great time of refocusing on theFull Post

WATCH VIDEO Just because the standards for modesty and decency are extremely low, we as Christian girls, don’t have to give in. We can stand strong in our convictions and continue to embrace purity. Although there aren’t many of us, we aren’t alone. We have each other. Modesty will always be a challenge, but one that we’ve discovered is totally worth fighting for. Without further ado…we give you our 5 FAVORITE wardrobe hacks for dressing modestly during the hot summer months. WATCH VIDEO

WATCH VIDEO Apparently, there’s a certain group of people who claim that physical beauty can actually be measured. As girls, we see the value our culture places on their definition of beauty and we measure ourselves against it. We chase after a certain physical “look” because (deep in our hearts) we believe that gorgeous girls are worth more. But are they? WATCH VIDEO

A few years ago I would have been shocked by some of the fashion trends currently taking over the clothing stores. Although it still saddens me, it doesn’t quite shock me like it used to. Extreme Immodesty has become our norm. Ultra mini shorts. Tiny crop tops. Sheer shirts. Practically painted on pants. This is the new norm. The standard for modesty is being lowered further and further and we as Christian girls are being faced with immense pressure to give in. I know that this is not new news to you. You see the stores. You see the way girls are dressings. You feel the pressure. You knowFull Post

I just have to say this up front so I can get it off my chest. There is no way that denim shorts – so short and tight that they are digging into your body – can be comfortable. I don’t care how cute girls think they look, there is just no way. I wish there was a nice, discreet, graceful way to go about this topic, but there isn’t. This is one of those topics that I have to be real and honest about. The summer months are coming at us in hot and boiling waves. The sweaty skin, the sticky feeling, the greasy hair and the humidityFull Post

We are so excited to announce that Girl Defined: God’s Radical Design for Beauty, Femininity and Identity officially launched today!!! Today is a day of celebration. A day to celebrate all that God has done and is going to do. We are in awe of His incredible grace and mercy in our lives and this book is a testimony of His faithfulness. Our prayer is that this book will show you God’s incredible design for the girl and help you see that God defined femininity is an amazing and beautiful thing. We’re inviting you to join us on a liberating journey toward a radically better vision for femininity. OneFull Post

We’ve all seen those girls. The “perfect” ones. They have it all going for them. Perfect hair, flawless legs, long eyelashes, and a skinny waist. They seem to have it all. Right? Without even realizing it, we compare ourselves to them and instantly feel ugly. We instantly feel dissatisfied and ungrateful for our bodies. I know exactly how this game works because I’ve played it many times myself. You want to know what’s really crazy about this though? As we look at these “perfect girls” and compare ourselves to them, guess what? They’re doing the exact same thing about their bodies too. It’s hard to believe, but it’s true.Full Post

“Instead of wasting time on topics like modesty and romance…why don’t you keep the focus on the gospel? Your Christian blog should be all about loving Jesus.” Several girls have written that type of email to us here at GirlDefined Ministries asking why we waste time writing about “secondary” issues rather than keeping the focus on the gospel. They’ve expressed disappointment that we take time to write about “minor” issues like modesty, romance, and femininity. I think it’s time to answer their questions. Why do we take time to write about topics like modesty, romance and femininity? I mean, as Christian girls, shouldn’t we just focus on loving JesusFull Post

I saved up my allowance (yes, I still get one) all summer in anticipation of the end-of-year clearance sale at one of my favorite online retailers. As autumn’s first chill threatened to ditch summer like a Hollywood fling, I filled my cart with all those cute lil’ summery clothes I had been eyeing since spring. Including the hat. Not just any hat, my sisters. This black trucker hat with giant, silver “SURF” lettering was the epitome of cool. The model who had worn it in the spring catalog—with her caramel skin and salt-tousled hair—confirmed it was the cutest hat EVER created. Surely all the girls in sunny Costa RicanFull Post

My eyes grew twice the size as I watched my swim coach pull my new bathing suit from the box. “Ummm are you sure that’s her bathing suit? It looks a little small.” My mom asked with a questioning voice. My swim coach chuckled a little and then replied, “I’m positive this is her bathing suit. We order them extra small so that they will fit tight. We don’t want anything slowing her down when she’s in the water.” With hesitation my mom paid for the swimsuit and then handed it to me. I was only ten years old when this bathing suit fiasco went down, but I rememberFull Post

Heading back to school can often times feel overwhelming. There’s the stress of making new friends, trying to fit in, figuring out which activities to participate in, getting to know your teachers, adjusting to your new schedule, and so much more. Although I never went to an actual school building week in and week out (I was homeschooled), I still experienced a lot of what you girls may have experienced. One of my absolute favorite parts of kicking off the new school year was *drum roll* shopping for new clothes. I loved heading to the stores to buy new shirts, jeans, skirts and anything else I could squeeze intoFull Post

The sun was boiling hot over my little Texas neighborhood. I was determined to run my sixteen miles in prep for my marathon no matter the crazy heat outside. Minus a small break to stop and stretch out the intense cramps in my legs, I’m excited to say I finished the run and survived the heat. I’ll be totally honest with you, training for a marathon in Texas is not a fun thing to do. Texas summers are hot, humid, and sticky. Those ingredients are obviously not ideal for intense outdoor workouts. Maintaining Modesty in the Heat Despite the heat and gallons of sweat dripping down my face, IFull Post

Growing up the two of us were convinced that modesty equalled old-fashioned. We looked around and noticed that the hip stores weren’t pushing long shorts, classy shirts or knee-length skirts. The clothes they promoted were hip, edgy, trendy and, we assumed, top notch fashionable. Because the fashion industry held the loudest voice on clothing, we assumed they were the standard on what equalled fashion and what equalled old fashioned. Modesty and Fashion Didn’t Combine As young women we looked around us and found very few (if any) Christians promoting modest fashionable clothing. We did hear quite a bit on modesty, but to be totally honest we weren’t all thatFull Post

I will never forget the day that I was accused of being “insecure” and “uncomfortable in my own skin” for desiring to dress modestly. This accusation happened several years ago when I was exploring the modeling world. The agent I spoke with told me that my modesty standards were due to insecurity in my life and advised me to “get comfortable in my own skin.” Up until this point I had never attached the word “insecurity” to my modesty convictions and I was offended that a grown man would label me that way. I left that conversation with a strong desire to further establish my beliefs on modesty andFull Post

This piece of clothing was considered so scandalous that mainstream models refused to wear it. In 1946 a man named Louis Réard designed and introduced the bikini. This small piece of swimwear was considered so risque that Mr. Réard couldn’t find a single model who was willing to showcase it. The only woman who was finally willing to model Réard’s new bathing suit was an eighteen-year-old nude dancer from Paris. As the first bikini hit the public scene, it stirred up quite the controversial discussion. Wikipedia stated, “French women welcomed the design but the Catholic church, some media, and a majority of the public initially thought the design wasFull Post

Back in the day, when I was on the lookout for a woman to marry, Kristen immediately caught my eye. She was (and still is) strikingly beautiful. Her smile was radiant. Her personality was warm and welcoming. She genuinely cared about everyone. She was joyful and everyone loved being around her. Bottom line, she was awesome. Guess what? It wasn’t her body that drew me to her. In fact, I don’t even remember being distracted by her body. She dressed in a way that drew attention to her face. Her clothing reflected the joy and love of Christ in her life. I didn’t have to wonder about her intentions.Full Post

“But everyone else is wearing it, mom! I don’t want to stand out like a super weirdo,” I said through distressed tears. This was me having a small meltdown. Scratch that. A major meltdown. My mom wasn’t super excited about the shirt I was wearing and was encouraging me to put on something more modest. I was thirteen years old at this point and didn’t care about modesty at all. I wasn’t interested in “being different” and dressing like a frumpy old lady. To me, modesty meant grandma garb. I rebelliously argued with her for a while, then finally gave in and changed my shirt. As a young teenageFull Post

Shirtless guys. They’re everywhere. Go to any swimming pool or beach and you will see dozens of them. Watch any modern chick-flick and you’ll probably see a generous amount of them. The sidewalks in the summer reveal shirtless guys running. Pinterest is filled with thousands of “hot shirtless guy” boards. Instagram is loaded with male celebrities eager to fill your feed with their shirtless bods. Shirtless guys have been an increasingly common part of the modern American culture. However, it hasn’t always been this way. Wikipedia stated that “during the Victorian period, Western cultures deplored nudity of any degree, even barechested [shirtless] male swimmers at ocean beaches, and peopleFull Post

“Forget the rules. If it makes you happy, wear it!” Those are the words plastered on the wall of a well known and hip shopping center in downtown Chicago. As soon as I read that quote I immediately thought of the girls (and women) in that massive city I was exploring. As I walked around the streets of downtown Chicago, I felt like I was in the melting pot of females who had made that quote the mantra of their wardrobe selections. Here’s what I saw over the past ten days on my trip: Shorts are no longer intended to cover up the body, but to show off asFull Post

Everyone was yelling at him. Everyone was mocking him. You stood there watching, not sure what to do. Then, without even realizing it, you started to yell too. Anger burst from your lips as you joined in with the crowd. “Kill him! Kill him!” you sneered, holding your fist in the air. You continued yelling as you followed the crowd up the hill. His body was covered in blood. His face was barely recognizable. Without a thought of sadness, you watched the soldiers pound large nails into his hands. “Hey you!” one of the soldiers yelled, looking straight at you. “Come here!” Without hesitating, you quickly ran over toFull Post

I was thirteen years old and heading in for my first experience with the well known photography company Glamour Shots. My mom and I were on a special girls trip to Dallas, Texas to celebrate my birthday. Obviously getting my hair highlighted, nails manicured and pictures taken was a must for this girly girl. I loved every minute of the Glamour Shot experience. The makeup. The hair. The clothes. The looking at pictures. The compliments. I felt beautiful and accepted. After the shoot I looked through the pictures and picked out my favorites. We ordered a package and then left the store to continue on our trip. When theFull Post

“Awww Man, I hate this holiday.” He said rolling his eyes. “I just don’t get it…” “Oh really?” I asked, “What are you talking about?” This is me several years ago having a conversation with a Christian college guy I knew. “I just don’t get Halloween parties and Christian girls. Why do so many Christian girls use this holiday as an excuse to dress in raunchy costumes?” He asked raising his eyebrows in question. “I don’t know…” I said. “It is kinda weird.” “Like, my Christian college has tons of Halloween parties and I don’t even want to go to any of them.” He continued. “It’s just too awkwardFull Post

In today’s culture modesty is totally out of style. The phrase that I’d say best describes the current trend would be “less is more – show your skin.” Skin is everywhere: billboards, magazines, social media – everyone everywhere seems to be attempting to show off as much skin as possible and draw as much attention to themselves as they can. The American culture is constantly putting the *wrong* message into girls’ heads. “If you don’t flaunt what you’ve got, guys are going to pass you over and move on to the skin-revealing, midriff-baring, hottie.” You probably already know this, but I’ll say it anyways: Guys are extremely visual. IFull Post

Jennifer grabbed her phone, hopped onto her bed and started browsing the wonderful world of Pinterest. Scrolling through the categories she came to one of her favorites, fashion. As she browsed through the never ending images, she pinned, pinned, pinned away. “Adorable!”, “for my dream closet”, “to die for”, were the comments she left with each pin. Her dream closet was set and it was time to move into her dream future. Celebrity guys was her next search. “He is a dreamboat”, “what a hottie”, “look at those abs”. Jennifer’s dream future was in place. The hottest looking guys on the block were quickly pinned to her board titled,Full Post

In 2010 five young guys stepped onto the music scene and stole the hearts of millions of teenage girls worldwide. They went from being five nobodies, to claiming international fame within months. How did they do this? By simply appealing to every girls heartfelt longing – to be called beautiful. Girls swarmed by the thousands to their concerts to hear them passionately sing to them about just that. This famous boy-band from England broke international records with their debut single, What Makes You Beautiful. Yes, you called it. I’m talking about the band One Direction. Don’t get confused though, these aren’t the guys who value modesty. We’re about toFull Post

Katrina and I ran down the stairs of our hotel and sprinted across the windy parking lot towards the hot tub. We had checked the hot tub from our window and it was empty, perfect timing to take advantage. After about fifteen minutes of soaking up the warm water, Katrina turned to me and in an almost annoyed sounding voice asked, “I don’t get it. Why don’t you wear a bikini?” Yikes! I was not excited about answering Katrina’s question. She and I did not see eye-to-eye on the topic of modesty and I wasn’t interested in getting into an argument. I was a foot away from her inFull Post

Bikini season is back! Stores all across America have traded in their furry winter coats for the itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny-yellow-polka-dot-bikini. Summer is almost here and girls are heading to the malls to pick out their new favorite swimsuit. Bikinis are the standard when it comes to Summer swimwear. Just the other day I walked into a Target store and the first thing to greet me was a mountain of bikinis. If a store is stocking up like that, girls must be buying them. Check out this statistic: American women spend more than 8 billion dollars a year on bikinis alone. Wow! Bikinis must have something going for them or girls wouldn’tFull Post

I clearly remember the day it happened. I was fourteen years old and decided that my hair was too short and too thin. I looked around and saw other girls with beautiful, long, Barbie-like, hair. I wanted that hair. I did the calculations and figured out that I could achieve my dream hair by the time I hit high school graduation if I kept the snipping to a minimum. My hair growing journey began. There was only one problem though. My hair grew as as slow as a turtle running in peanut butter. Several years went by and my was hair was barely a few inches longer. Before IFull Post

I walked into the modeling agency and sat down in the owner’s office. One of his recruiting agents had seen me in a clothes store several weeks earlier and had given me a business card. From what I knew about the modeling industry, I was pretty sure that my personal convictions and the modeling scene wouldn’t jive. In the past I had never taken any modeling offers seriously. I’m not sure why I felt different this time, but I did. My curiosity was pricked and I needed to find out for myself what the modeling world was all about. I wanted to know what really went on behind theFull Post

Summer time is almost here! We’re breaking out the lemonade, grilling in the backyard and playing horseshoes in the evenings (yes, we play horseshoes). I especially love wearing the bright and cheery colors that my summer wardrobe brings. During the summer months it seems like everyone is so happy and upbeat, doesn’t it? I am usually happy and upbeat myself until I remember the one down side of summer – the blistering heat. Down here in south Texas our summer days seem to average a lovely 100 degrees, with a nice humid breeze to keep your hair moist. Doing anything outside during the summer without sweating is pretty muchFull Post

It’s tough and sometimes a little awkward saving my body for one man’s eyes alone. I had to face a tough situation recently when I was asked to be in a friends wedding. She is a long time childhood friend and was recently engaged to be married. I was so excited for my friend and love the fact that she would soon be married. She asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding! How exciting was that. There was only one problem, her bridesmaids dresses were strapless. I knew I couldn’t wear the dress. As my friend and I sat there looking at the pictures of the dresses online,Full Post

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ABOUT US

Kristen Clark and Bethany Baird are sisters, lifelong friends, and the founders of GirlDefined Ministries. These Texas gals are passionate about God's beautiful design for womanhood and love sharing this message through blogging, speaking, and mentoring young women. LEARN MORE